The immune system developed to tell our own, normal cells (self) from foreign and abnormal cells (non-self). This lets the immune system eliminate viruses, bacteria, fungi and cancer cells from our body without harming normal cells. Sometimes the immune system fails to tell self from non-self and it attacks normal cells, for example in joints causing rheumatoid arthritis.
...Read more

3

They destroy tissues:
Autoimmune disorders arise from an overactive immune system in which the body attacks its own tissues. The different types & the amount of destruction that occurs depends on the kinds of tissues targeted. Some affect a single organ (as in thyroiditis) while others involve multiple areas (such as lupus). If not diagnosed & treated, these disorders progressively worsen health & may hasten death.
...Read more

4

Some can but it vari:
Yes they can. It depends on the type of autoimmune disorder and the extent of activity. Each person with an autoimmune disease has a different type of involvement. It depends on the extent of activity and how well the treatment can control its activity. This something to discuss with your physician.
...Read more

7

Kalawalla:
No, the diversity of autoimmune diseases results in variable results with both natural and synthetic therapies. Medications and supplements that can be beneficial with lupus may be harmful or lack benefit with rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis or autoimmune thyroid disease. There are no natural supplements or medications that are beneficial for all autoimmune disorders.
...Read more

8

Not autoimmune:
Dermographism is a common type of physical urticaria (hives) and unrelated to food and environmental allergies. It is not related to autoimmune disorders. For a brief review, go to my blog at: http://www.Familyallergyasthmacare. Com/2013/05/dermographism-i-scratch-therefore-i-hive/.
...Read more

9

Celiac disease:
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder and associated with other autoimmune disorders. Most commonly checked routinely is the thyroid blood test looking for autoimmune thyroiditis (underactive thyroid gland). In general there is not much routine screening for other autoimmune diseases like lupus, hepatitis, anemia, etc. Unless there are specific symptoms or abnormal routine blood tests.
...Read more

12

Autoimmune:
There is no way one can learn about autoimmune disorders without spending some time learning about a normal immune system. Find a basic book on the immune system, read it, and then delve into immunity disorders where there is failure of the system to recognize tissues as "self". That is what autoimmune disorders are all about
...Read more

13

Immunosuppresents:
Since autoimmune diseases are a diverse group of diseases which have in common activation of the immune system which leads to different complications (depending upon the disease) the best way to treat is to use medications which suppress the immune system (such as steroids and sometimes chemotherapy).
...Read more

14

No:
I would caution everyone against these superstitious ideas. They serve no purpose, and even if there were some basis (for example, someone with advanced cancer "looks malignant" because of cachexia), the impression is less sensitive and less specific than a scientific exam. Life's difficult enough without well-intentioned lay people frightening folks for no reason.
...Read more

15

Weeks to years:
When diseases present explosively with all signs and symptoms as I have seen in some cases of rheumatoid arthritis, the diagnosis may be made in weeks to months. Other times, the disease may evolve slowly (as in scleroderma) and diagnosis may take years.
...Read more

16

Antibodies in both.:
The easiest way to look at it is that if someone has allergies, his/her body makes antibodies against things he/she is exposed to (meds, foods, pollen, animals, etc.), while in autoimmune disorders, the body makes antibodies against one or more of its own tissues.
...Read more

18

Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine):
Yes. Hydroxy Chloroquine is used in many autoimmune diseases including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, sjogrens, juvenile inflammatory arthritis, crest syndrome.
It has also been used in chronic idiopathic urticaria and graft vs host disease.
...Read more

25

Good question:
different immunological mechanisms, desensitization can be performed to type 1 immunological reactions involving IgE antibodies, auto immune disorders aren't the same, wish you wellness
...Read more

27

Common yes normal no:
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a multifactorial consequence of hormonal, immune system and nervous system dysfunction resulting from genetic predispositions and dietary and environmental insults. These factors impair the patient's ability to produce energy and they end up chronically fatigued. Your treatment may be controlling some of your symptoms, but it is not fixing what is wrong. Find and fix.
...Read more

28

ANA testing:
ANA is a screening test for autoimmune disease, (generally present in 80-90% of cases). A higher titer over 1:160 is more significant. There are more definite testing for lupus such as anti-smith antibody and anti ds dna antbody. There are many more other specific testing for other specific autoimmune disorders. Syphilis and lyme disease can give false positive ANA test as well. See your md.
...Read more

29

Oral thrush:
It is unusual for an 17-year old to have recurrent oral thrush. If you use chronic corticosteroid, or steroid asthma inhaler, you might have an increased risk of having it. Some conditions that affect the number or function of your t lymphocytes, a type of the immune cells can make you susceptible to oral thrush or mucocutaneus candidiasis.
...Read more

30

Question lupus.:
The ANA test its considered to be one of the screening test for lupus. However, there is a lot of overlap diagnostically speaking among the various rheumatological conditions. Diagnosis should be based mainly on the history and physical examination and supported by results of blood testing. Its hard to say that this test would specifically represent lupus.
...Read more

Colchicine is used to treat several inflammatory conditions. It is known best as a treatment for acute gout and prophylaxis for gout attacks. It is also used to treat less common conditions such as familial mediterranean fever, skin vasculitis, and chronic pericarditis.
...Read more